No matter what happens with the employer mandate and whether employee benefits will indeed be required of large business owners to make available, employers in the Tri-state area say that the health reform law won't affect their hiring intentions one way or the other, a new poll has shown.
According to the survey that was commissioned by insurance plan information firm HealthPocket, nearly 90 percent of business owners in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania – 87 percent – said that their hiring decisions won't be determined by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Even among those who did say the ACA would affect their hiring inclinations, they were few in number. Just 11 percent of respondents said they'd reduce the amount of time devoted to recruiting new talent and 1 percent said they'd staff more people.
Jonathan Singer, co-founder of the website HealthCareReformCentral, which tracks the latest news on the ACA, stated that the poll's results may come as a surprise to many people.
"Contrary to the rhetoric, businesses in New York and other states are not changing their hiring plans or eliminating health benefits in response to the Affordable Care Act," said Singer. "Additionally, the number of survey respondents open to self-insurance options shows that the traditional models of employer-based health insurance in the pre-reform environment will face greater competition."
Kev Coleman, head of research and data for HealthPocket, added that business owners appear to want to keep whatever plans they have in place while they determine what the best course of action is to take regarding the ACA, as the law requires that all employer-based health plans cover specific treatments.
For business owners that have at least 50 full-time workers, they will be required to provide health benefits. Recent polling data shows that fewer young adults hold full-time jobs in 2013, down to 43.6 percent from 46.3 percent in June 2010.
